A Dark Moon Rising
by Enide Dear
Summary: Very slight AU Cloud and co. never found Vincent in the coffin . Cid's vacation is rudly interrupted as he accept a mission to execute a strange demon-man.
1. Chapter 1

Title: A Dark Moon Rising part 1 of 13

Author: Enide Dear

Rating: NC-17, eventually

Pairing: Cid/Reeve, Valenwind, Cid/Reeve/Vincent

Summary: This, as far as I can get it, is what you wished for – hot and smexy Valenwind. With Reeve.

Author's note: The drama! The suspense! The demons! The fedora! *squee*

The crowd that came hurrying up towards the Highwind was noisy, angry and scared – more of a mob than a crowd. They were dragging something in their midst, and occasionally the jarring sound of metal striking metal could be heard, something that agitated the towns people even more, making them curse and shout.

"Captain! Captain Highwind!" The loudest man in the group hurried ahead, up to where the captain sat in a comfortable chair in the sun, his feet on a table next to a teapot and a cup. "Captain, we need your help!"

"Fuck off." Cid grumbled, refusing to look up underneath the brim of the hat he'd drawn down over his eyes. "I'm on vacation here, and I ain't flying no goods for two more weeks."

"This isn't work, captain, this is your chance to help rid the planet of a dire threat!" The man sounded furious, but feeding that wrath was a strong current of fear.

"Yeah, that's what people usually say when they don't wanna pay for work." With a sigh, he pushed back the hat, blue eyes sparkling with irritation. "What's the bloody fuss about this time?"

The crowd reluctantly gave way as their unofficial leader led the dusty and annoyed captain towards the middle of the assembly, although a few took one last chance to aim kicks that rattled against something metallic.

"I'm in Nibelhieim, in the middle of nowhere and as far as I can fucking get from Rocket Town, and still I can't get away from work," Cid muttered to himself as he pushed a few stragglers away. "I should have just gone to Costa del Sol right away."

As the crowd finally gave way and gave him a first look at the object they'd been dragging along, Cid stopped dead in his tracks, the cigarette falling out of his mouth.

A small cage with bars of a strange material – not iron or steel, it was too shiny - sat in the dust. It was barely big enough to reach to Cid's hip and perhaps as wide as his outstretched arms, which must mean that it was very, very uncomfortable for the tall, dark man crouching within, his clothes in tatters and blood running down his face. Strange, red eyes glowered out at the captain from underneath dirty black hair.

"What the Hell?!" Cid stepped back, casting furious glances all around. "I'm no bloody slaver!"

"This is not a man, captain." The loud leader of the rabble growled. "It's a monster."

Before Cid could ask any more, the man pulled out a heavy-looking, three-muzzled gun and shot into the cage; more by luck than anything he hit the caged man's hand.

An inhuman howl echoed over Nibelheim as a huge beast threw itself against the bars, slobbering and growling. The villagers threw themselves away, but the cage held, and Cid only remained standing due to the pure shock that froze his body. The demon only lasted for a few seconds before disappearing, leaving behind the dark man, now pressing his wounded hand against his chest, and gasping for air through the pain. Instinctively, Cid tore off his scarf and threw it through the bars. The dark man recoiled as if the yellow cloth had been a snake, but slowly took up the scarf and wrapped it around his wounded hand – not that that would do much good, as far as Cid could see the hand was destroyed, perhaps enough to kill the man from blood loss.

"What the Hell was that?!" he shouted, enough anger in his voice to make the towns people back away even more.

"That was a demon, captain…"

"I mean, what the fuck did ya shoot him for?!" Cid raged. "Get some bandages or some Cure materia over here, now!"

"He won't die, captain. You can't kill demon that easily. That's why we need your help." The mob leader didn't budge, but he did look queasy at the amount of red blood that had spilled out on the ground and still seeped through the make-shift bandage. "We need to you to take the cage out over open sea and dump it. That will rid of us this…thing."

"How d'ya know?"

"The cage is plated with silver. The demon can't get through that." The man scowled at the cage. "We found him, in a coffin, and he turned into that…thing. We can't have such a thing loose on Gaia!"

Cid hesitated, glancing from the frightened towns people to the crouching man. If he hadn't seen the demon himself, he wouldn't have believed the story, but…he scratched his head under the fedora, not wanting to have to take this decision, but knowing no one else could.

"A'right…" he said slowly, feeling a bit sick inside. "I'll do it fer ya. Get him aboard the Highwind – but get him some bandages first! I don't wanna have him bleeding all over my ship."

"Thank you, captain. We're in your debt…" the leader started, but Cid didn't listen. He'd crouched down in front of the cage.

"Are ya a'right in there?" he said, lighting a cigarette and pulling deep on it, trying to steady his nerves.

"He won't speak, captain, probably can't…" The villagers of Niebleheim fell silent as a dark, barely audible voice spoke.

"No." The voice came through gritted teeth. "I'm in quite a lot of pain, captain."

"Gimme yer hand." Cid snatched a roll of bandages from a frightened woman and the villagers gasped and stepped back as the caged man hesitantly held out his shot hand through the bars. Very carefully Cid peeled away the blood-soaked remnants of his scarf, his face paling at the sight of destroyed fingers, and then wrapped the hand hard and neat in new linen, enough to make it stop bleeding. "Sorry 'bout the pain. Can't do much about that." He said as he stood, dusting his pants.

The man in the cage nodded, but didn't answer. He held his hand close to his chest, red eyes revealing nothing.

Cid got the towns people to move the cage by the simple way of pushing two poles under the bars and lifting it, and then directed them to place the cage in the steering room of the airship.

"So," he said when they were finally done. "That only leaves the matter of payment."

"Pay? I thought…you saw him!" The mob leader was taken aback. "You mean you want pay to take care of that trash?!"

"If I'm to call off my vacation to be yer bloody executioner, I'm fucking getting paid. Or else ya can to it yerself. The oceans is that way –" he gestured. "- only about two hundred miles, or something."

"We don't have much gils…"

"Then I'll settle for a full tank on Highwind, enough supplies ta get me and him to the ocean and…" Cid looked thoughtful, "…and that weird gun ya shot him with."

"You can't…!"

"Fine. Unload the demon, boys!" Cid turned and started towards his ship. "The deal is over!"

"No!" Muttering under his breath, the man smacked down the odd gun into Cid's palm and stalked away, calling for supplies. Cid scowled after him. *'Visit Nibelehim this year, see the beautiful mountains, the placid lakes and the quaint old houses,' my ass. No one said anything about demons, mobs, pitch forks and having to fucking work! Next year, I *am* going to Costa del Sol!*


	2. Chapter 2

Title: A Dark Moon Rising part 2 of 13

Author: Enide Dear

Rating: NC-17, eventually

Pairing: Cid/Reeve, Valenwind, Cid/Reeve/Vincent

Summary: This, as far as I can get it, is what you wished for – hot and smexy Valenwind. With Reeve.

Author's note: The dark, tall demon-man has a name! *gasp* Who ever can it be?

Also, I have a hand – fetish…*sigh*

The Highwind left Nibelehim that same afternoon, rising slowly and gracefully into the clear blue summer sky. It was hard to tell who were happiest when it cleared the mountain pass, the people of town or the two people inside the ship. When they cleared the treacherous mountain winds Cid could relax a bit. He cast a glance at his strange, unwilling passenger.

"Hey, y'alright in there? Yer not getting airsick or something?"

"No, mr Highwind. I'm…fine."

"Eh? How did ya…how did ya know my name?"

"I heard them talking to you." The dark man shifted inside his cage, red eyes like embers behind the curtain of his hair.

"Oh. Well, what's yer name then?"

"What makes you think I have one? Do demons have names?" The man sounded tired, his voice low.

"I don't know. Yer the first one I met." Cid set his jaw stubbornly, sucking at his cigarette.

"I am not a demon." The man almost whispered.

"Really?" Cid rolled his eyes. "'Cause ya could have fooled me, what with the fangs and claws and everything."

"There are demons living inside me. I don't deny that. That doesn't make me one of them."

"What's the difference? Ya attacked…"

"And if you had been shot, mr Highwind? What would you have done?"

"Not turned into a monster, that's fer sure. Look, I get yer point, but it ain't changing a thing. If I were to let ya loose, ye'd attack me. Or someone else, who can't defend themselves, like those pesky villagers."

"Only if you'd hurt me. Or make me very angry. I can't…I can't control them."

"Then there ain't much of a difference, is there?" Cid sighed. "I'm not looking forward to this or anything, ya know. But I figure it would be a far worse thing, if I let someone with four demons waiting to break out loose in the world. Ya understand?"

The dark man nodded.

"Maybe you are right, captain." He fiddled with his bandaged arm, not looking up. "It would be…nice and calm, not having to worry about the demons. Not having to worry about anything, anymore."

"So it will work? This cage?"

"The silver keeps the demons contained. I won't be able to get out, so I guess…I guess I'll drown, and them with me."

"I'm sorry." Cid said, and meant it. The man's tired voice spoke of a burden carried too long and it tugged at his heartstrings.

"I know you are, mr Highwind. None of this is your fault. You just happened to be the end of a very long chain of events that brought this upon me." He leaned back against the bars, staring out into the open sky. "So maybe you'll be the one to put me out of this misery."

"Yeah. Um. Right." Cid felt unexpectedly flustered; he really hadn't expected the maybe-not-demon – man to be grateful he'd kill him. "So…want a cup of tea? I can make ya some sandwiches if ya want."

For a second a ghostly smile seemed to touch the dark man's lips.

"Thank you, captain." He was quite for a while whiles Cid busied himself in the kitchenette. "Valentine," he said quietly as he accepted the food and drink through the bars.

"What, now? More like Midsummer…"

"No, that's my name. You asked. My name is Vincent Valentine."

"Oh. Well, Vince, ya ruined my vacation, made sure I can never return to Nibelheim and are forcing me ta become an executioner." Cid sat down outside the cage with his own cup and food. Grinning a lopsided smile, he reached out a hand. "Still, it's nice meeting ya."

Surprised, Vincent looked at the offered hand, but reached out with his own, unhurt one. Long, strong, cool fingers closed around callused, warm, skilled ones.

"Nice meeting you to, mr Highwind."

"Call me Cid."


	3. Chapter 3

Title: A Dark Moon Rising part 3 of 13

Subtitle: In which the author rants excessively

Author: Enide Dear

Rating: NC-17, eventually

Pairing: Cid/Reeve, Valenwind, Cid/Reeve/Vincent

Summary: This, as far as I can get it, is what you wished for – hot and smexy Valenwind. With Reeve. **howls** and not a Remnant in sight. *pout*

Author's note: Oh, yer such a softie, Cid! *hugs*

It sure looked like a very, very long way down. Cid had put the Highwind on hover mode on what he judged to be an adequate distance from shore and swearing dragged the cage and its inhabitant over and opened the hatch so that both of them now had a stunning view of the summer-calm ocean below. All the captain had to do now was give the cage one last push and watch it fall perhaps twenty meters before it hit the surface, were it would sink immediately, weight down by the silver-covered steel. Theoretically, the hard part was now over. But in real life it wasn't that easy.

One reason why Cid had had the cage placed in the steering room was so that he could keep an eye on the demon, and he'd held Venus Gospel close at hand. But Vincent turned out to be anything but a problem. The man was quite and polite, barely speaking unless spoken to, which wasn't a problem since Cid loved the sound of his own voice and Vincent was a good listener.

He hadn't tried to discourage Cid from what the pilot had said he'd do, hadn't threatened him or tried to bribe him, or anything else. The only thing he ever asked for was a towel and some water so that he could wash his face and hands, which Cid had given him. Beneath the smudge and blood was a pale, sombre face that now looked out into the blue with fear, Cid noticed. Even if Vincent had claimed that not having to worry about the demons inside him was a good thing, it was obvious that he was human enough not to want to die.

Red eyes blinked at tears that threatened to run over. His stoic face was ruined by the way his lips were white with fear. His unhurt hand was wrapped around the bars.

"Do it," he whispered hoarsely. "Just do it, please. Don't keep me waiting like this, on the edge."

"I…" It was so easy. One push, and it would be over. Cid fumbled inside his jacket and took out the strange gun he'd acquired in Niebelheim. Carefully he opened it and threw out the bullets. Both men watch them fall, and the small *plopps* they made when the sea swallowed them. "This is yers, right? I saw ya watching it before that man shot ya."

"Thank you, mr Highwind." Vincent accepted the empty gun with a strange gratitude.

"Told ya ta call me Cid," Cid muttered and put his shoulder to the cage. Vincent closed his eyes. Ocean breeze filled the Highwind, the sound of gulls, the sun shining on his face...he wondered if it would be very cold in the sea before he died, very empty and lonely. It didn't much matter; he was used to that.

The cage didn't move. Something wet his cheek. Slowly, Vincent opened his eyes. Cid's face was hanging over him, stubbled and tanned, blue eyes overflowing with tears.

"I can't fucking do this," he pulled his hand over his eyes, wiping angrily at the tears. "I can't jest kill someone like this."

"But…"

"No." Cid reached for a lever and closed the hatch; before he could fumble his way to the light switch, Vincent's red eyes were the only light in the big cargo hold. "There has ta be another way."

"If you let me go, I can't guarantee…"

"I ain't letting ya go. Not yet, anyway. Look, we can solve this, right?" Cid started to wander around, something Vincent had noticed the captain often did when thinking hard. "If there were some way ya could control the demons…"

"But I can't."

"Damn it! They should be the ones in a cage, not ya! If we could jest get ya out, but leave them behind…"

"That's quantum mechanics, captain Highwind." Vincent almost smiled weakly.

"Well, I am the best damned mechanic I've ever met!"

"That's not the same thing…" Vincent started, but trailed off as Cid's piercing blue eyes fixed on him – on his body, to be specific. Vincent almost blushed as the gaze travelled over his long legs, narrow hips and lean waist, up over his chest and to his neck….

"A – ha! This ought ta do it!" He jumped, punching the air, and then hurried out before Vincent could stop him and ask what was going on.

The cargo hold doubled as a workshop when empty, so Vincent could see everything Cid was doing. That didn't mean he understood it.

Cid returned with a collection of what first seemed to be random objects – a piece of cutlery for cutting cake, a small piggy-bank that looked like a bear with a bow around its neck, two or three pieces of jewellery that looked black and unused and a finely etched metal cigarette case. He dumped all of it on the work bench and glared at it.

"Hope that's enough," he muttered. "Don't have much of these kinds of things around."

"Captain…may I ask what you are doing?" Vincent scuffled around the cage, favouring his hale hand.

Cid grinned, and for a second Vincent's heart made a strange lurch.

"I am trapping yer demons."

It was a marvel to see the captain work. Vincent sat very still, not wanting to disturb, his eyes big with wonder. He'd secretly admired the way the blonde man flew his ship, but that was such an inbred quality with the captain that he made it seem very easy. Also, Vincent didn't know anything about flying, which made it difficult to judge. But this…this was something else.

The Highwind, despite being an airship, was a mechanic's wet dream. Cid started with an electric forge, putting all his objects in a ceramic bowl and melting them. Vincent gasped as he saw the objects sacrificed, but Cid didn't seem sentimental about them. Once they'd lost their original form and turned into a metallic pool, Cid neatly separated the metals into pure liquids. He then poured the larger part into a cast that he'd made with even more disquietingly piercing glances at Vincent.

It took about a day for the thing to cool of, and in the mean time Cid put his skilled hands to fine mechanics, creating a small, simple lock which he then welded onto the metal-thing he'd made. Whistling, he polished the thin band of silver, carefully rounding the inside and making sure there were no sharp edges. Finally, he held it up for Vincent's inspection.

It was a collar of silver that closed in the neck with a hatch. The silver gleamed and the band was thin and subtle enough to be hidden underneath a collar – although, admittingly, Vincent's deep collar could have hidden quite a lot more.

"This should do it. Wanna try?" Cid held out the collar.

With shaking fingers Vincent took the thing and turned it in his hale hand. He didn't know what to think. The thing reminded him of a dog collar, but it was beautiful enough to be a necklace. Was he supposed to be insulted, or flattered? Or hopeful, because of this thing worked….

"Here, let me help ya." Warm hands touched his neck as he started to fumble with the collar, brushed his hair gently aside and helped him click the lock. The silver band fitted perfectly around his neck, close enough to touch skin all around, but not close enough to choke.

"Well, did it work?" Cid asked, stepping back.

"I don't…I don't know." Vincent fingered the band. He didn't feel any different. He could still feel his demons, deep inside.

Cid drew a deep breath.

"Then let's find out." He took a crowbar from the workbench and hit with full force on the cage's lock. The door swung open, for the first time in more than a week.

"No!" Vincent heard the howling, tearing over him like a stormwind, the demons throwing themselves at him, claiming his body as theirs. And stop. Abruptly. He blinked, uncertain. The silver collar held the demons back from his mind, like a threshold they couldn't pass unless he let them, keeping them safely imprisoned in his soul. He stumbled with shock and would have fallen to the floor if Cid hadn't grabbed his elbow, steadying him. With wobbly legs Vincent clung to the captain who gently eased him down to the floor.

"Easy, easy…" he mumbled, a worried glance in his eyes. "Ya a'right?"

"It…it worked!" Vincent could barely believe his own words. "It worked, they can't get out!"

"Aw, that's great!" Cid beamed with pride and joy and Vincent suddenly realised that he was still holding on to the captain with his hale hand around Cid's waist, his injured one scrambling for purchase on the pilot's oilstained t-shirt. His face was pressed against Cid's warm chest, probably getting oilstains on his cheeks and forehead, and the smell and warmth and very presence of the man went to his head like fine wine.

Abruptly he pulled away, hiding his blushing face behind his hair.

"I'm sorry, I just…"

"Don't worry, yer a bit shaken, is all." Cid let him go and turned around. "As soon as ya feel better, ya jest come and see me. I'll be on deck. I need a smoke."

He waved and walked out the cargo room, leaving Vincent to recover.

"Oh, and by the way…ya have an oil spot on yer nose." The captain shouted over his shoulder before he left.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: A Dark Moon Rising part 4 of 13

Subtitle: Beware the depths of Cid's refrigerator!

Author: Enide Dear

Rating: NC-17, eventually

Pairing: Cid/Reeve, Valenwind, Cid/Reeve/Vincent

Summary: This, as far as I can get it, is what you wished for – hot and smexy Valenwind. With Reeve.

Author's note: My Gods, Vince is uke…And freedom can be scary if you are not used to it.

**

It was a strange feeling to walk through the Highwind, metal boots clanging. Vincent's eyes darted everywhere as he rejoiced in the pure feeling of freedom – both of spirit and body. No longer in a cage or a coffin, he stretched out his long limbs simply because he could, all the while mentally poking his trapped demons. He was free, and it was wonderful. Now to find the man who had freed him.

Like he'd said, Cid stood by the reeling of Highwind, looking out over the sky and water. The airship shifted a bit in the summer winds, but Cid compensated without thinking, shifting his lean body unconsciously to keep his balance as the breeze tussled his hair and made the smoke of his cigarette drift away.

"Mr…mr Highwind?"

Blue eyes, bluer than the sky and more sparkling than the ocean, turned towards Vincent and Cid smiled.

"How ya doin' there, Vince?"

"I'm…I'm fine. Thanks to you, captain:" Vincent slowly moved over to stand rigid next to the leaning pilot.

"Didn't I tell ya ta call me Cid?" Cid grinned and made a gesture out over the ocean. "So, what do ya want ta do now?"

"Excuse me?" Vincent frowned.

"Well, there's a whole world out there, ya know. Where do ya wanna go? Where do ya want me ta set ya down?"

The question hit Vincent like a sledgehammer; he hadn't thought of that. Of course he couldn't keep expecting the captain to take care of him; he was a passenger without paying, a useless dead-weight.

But where could he go? He didn't have any family or friends left alive. He didn't have a home he wanted to return to. He didn't have anything.

The world was so very big. He could just mention a place and Cid would drop him there, and take off, and he would never see the pilot again….and he'd be alone.

Suddenly freedom wasn't wonderful; it was terribly frightening.

Cid must have seen his pale face, because he suddenly looked worried.

"Vince? What's wrong? Yer demons?"

"No…no, they're trapped. It's just that I…I owe you so much. I don't know how I'll ever repay it. I have no money. I was thinking maybe…maybe I could work for you? You know, um, to pay off my debt?"

He knew he stammered, but couldn't stop it, knew he was interfering, probably unwanted, on Cid's life. Cid didn't meet his eyes, but stubbed out his cigarette.

"Well, tech'nlly I'm still on vacation. But that seems to have been fucked up enough that I was thinking I should jest return to Rocket Town – is where I live – and work a bit around the house. And on Highwind, of course." He absentmindedly petted the side of the airship as if it was a living creature. "So if ya want, ya can come back with me. I kinda tend to forget about the house and the garden, so they need a lot of work. Think ya can help me with that?"

"Yes, of course!" Vincent felt almost weak with relief. "Thank you, mr High.."

"I can't have a friend call me that."

*Friend* that thought warmed Vincent far deeper into his flesh and soul than any mere summer sun could.

"Captain?"

"Yer not my crew."

"Chief?"

"Good enough."

**

"Well, here it is. Home, sweet home." It was obvious that Cid was nervous as he set down the Highwind on the open area next to a small house. They'd passed over a small village some way back, but Cid's house lay alone, probably due to the engine noises.

Both men walked in silence up to the worn and slightly abandoned looking house, its 'garden' no more than a few depressed weeds and tall grasses. Cid fiddled with some keys and unlocked the door, muttering under his breath.

"If I'd known I'd have company, I'd have done some cleaning…"

With a sigh, he showed Vincent in.

**

The house wasn't filthy, but the dust made Vincent cough as he stepped inside. There were cobwebs in the windows and in the ceiling, dust bunnies on the floor, a general mess everywhere. A few boards had gone off and were leaking in water by the window. It wasn't that Cid was a slob so much as the house had suffered from years of neglect due to him prioritizing his airship – which, as Vincent had seen himself, was kept in pristine condition.

"Probably should have bought some groceries," Cid opened the refrigerator, but quickly closed it, a bit pale. "Yeah, d'fnetly should have brought groceries!" He sighed. "Better show ya the guestroom. C'm on here."

The guest room lay on the second floor, next to Cid's bedroom, and was even dustier and less used than the other rooms. There was a bed, a small bedside table with a lamp without a bulb in it, and a closet on which the door hung slightly ajar.

Cid looked absolutely crestfallen as he saw it.

"Ah, jeeze, I hadn't expected it ta be this bad, ya know. I'm sure there's some sheets and stuff somewhere around here…" He started to open closets and cupboards on random until Vincent gently took his arm.

"Chief, it's alright. I'll take care of it. Just tell me if there's any room or closet you don't want me peaking in, and then I'll take care of everything else. After all," he almost smiled, "this way I can really feel that I'm working of my debt, you know?"

"Um, yeah. I guess. So, I'll just leave ya to it then?" Still embarrassed, Cid gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder and walked back out to the Highwind, already muttering something about a whiny noise from one of back engines. Vincent smiled.

**

It was hard, working with only one hand. His left hand, where he'd got shot, was not mending well; it had stopped bleeding and the pain was now a dull ache, but too many bones had been splintered, too much flesh and muscles and fragile tendons had simply disappeared in the blast. The man in Niebelhiem was right, Vincent mused – a bullet wound wouldn't kill him, but it sure made his life very much more complicated.

He set his jaw and went to work.

**

When evening came and Cid returned from whatever mysterious thing he'd been doing with the Highwind, he was met by a dusty, tired, but very pleased Vincent. The house was dusted and vacuumed, some of the mess at least sorted into piles and dinner - from the Highwind's stores, he hadn't really been able to work up the courage to open the refrigerator yet - was cooking.

Cid looked around with a smile.

"Damn." He said. "Ya've really been busy."

"I'll do some laundry after dinner. Tomorrow I'll start on the repairs…"

"Easy, easy. Work ain't going nowhere, right? We're still on vacation." Cid washed his hands in the sink and reached out a finger. "Wait, ya got some dust here…" carefully he wiped off Vincent's cheek. The tender motion left Vincent trembling, but Cid didn't seem to notice.

They ate in relative silence, the food taking most of Cid's attention, and Vincent was seldom chatty. Afterwards Cid refused to let Vincent go on working, but dragged him out to the porch, sat him down on a chair next to him and handed him a glass of whiskey.

"Welcome ta my home, Vince," he said, putting their glasses together, "which is yer house as well, for as long as ya want."

"Thank you, Chief."

The whiskey burned as it ran down Vincent's throat; that was probably what caused his eyes to mist over.


	5. Chapter 5

Title: A Dark Moon Rising part 5 of 13

Author: Enide Dear

Rating: NC-17, eventually

Pairing: Cid/Reeve, Valenwind, Cid/Reeve/Vincent

Summary: This, as far as I can get it, is what you wished for – hot and smexy Valenwind. With Reeve. **howls** and not a Remnant in sight. *pout*

Author's note: Yay, Shera! Also, why is there a dead cat in Cid's refrigerator?

"Chief, I need to go grocery shopping." Vincent managed to get Cid's attention over the clanging sounds from the belly of Highwind, and a tousled blonde head – streaked with engine grease – peered out. "Also, I need to get some boards and nails and tar paper for the roof."

"Sure. There's an old pick-up in the garage – if it doesn't start, jest call me. And there's money in an old sock in a drawer in my room."

"You keep your money in a sock?!"

"Well, I figure no one'll dare look there…" Cid grinned and Vincent couldn't help but smile back. The captain had that effect on him – it was impossible to feel down in his cheerful company.

"I almost hesitate to ask, but do you have any more laundry? I've searched through the house, and I'll get a machine started before I leave."

"Don't think so…oh, right, here." Cid pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it down. Now he was only wearing cut off jeans and his fedora and the sight of that muscular, tanned chest, dusted with golden hairs made half of Vincent's blood rush to his head. The other half of suddenly very warm blood settled significantly lower and he had to turn away before Cid noticed. Another effect the captain had on him – but one that caused him a lot more anguish.

He picked up the t-shirt and hurried away.

The road to Rocket Town was dusty and not much used; there were potholes everywhere and driving was slow. Vincent didn't much mind the time it took; he was more nervous than he'd dare show to Cid about going into town. After all, he had had very little experience with people for the last thirty years, and most of it bad. Very bad. But he steeled himself, telling himself that he would get through this, for Cid, because he was little enough use as it was, maimed and slow. The very least thing he could do was get home groceries.

Getting the things from the hardware store was much easier than he expected, despite Cid having added some truly weird stuff on the list, things Vincent had no idea what was, but guessed to be spare parts for Highwind. As the clerk helped him pick them out with out any questions, he assumed he was right; if Rocket Town had to cater to the needs of an airship, they probably knew a lot of this stuff.

"Oh, are you staying with captain Highwind, then?" the clerk, who had presented herself as mrs Shera, asked as Vincent started to unload his groceries.

"Um, yes. How did you know, miss?"

"It's Mrs, actually," she giggled and held up a packet of cigarettes. "Only Cid has poor enough taste to smoke these. And," she looked down at the grocery list, "the only one I know who spells whiskey with a q."

"Oh. So you know him?" It was a stupid question, he realised. Probably everyone in Rocket Town knew each other; it wasn't a big town. And anyway, Cid must be something of a celebrity.

"Used to work for him. He's a very kind man, you know, underneath the swearing." She gave him a piercing look that made him blush enough to hide his face even more in the collar.

"Yes, he is." He mumbled.

"So you take good care of him, Mr. Valentine. Or I will be terribly upset with you."

"I…um…"

She burst out laughing.

"Oh, I'm just teasing you. Here," she took the bottle of truly appalling whiskey that Cid had put on the list from Vincent and replaced it with another bottle, this one a deep amber colour. "I think this will suit you better. You just tell Cid we were out of his usual rot-gut."

"But this is brandy, Mrs.! It must cost at least twice…"

"Nonsense. See it as a welcome gift. Welcome to Rocket Town, mr Valentine."

"Thank you, Mrs. Shera."

As the tall dark haired man hurried out with a truly endearing blush on his cheeks, Shera thought to herself *Maybe Cid's taste has finally changed for the better* and smiled.

The pick-up rattled threateningly but survived all the way back to Cid's house. As Vincent parked it and started to unload groceries, Cid showed up.

"Everything went fine, did it? Good. Here, let me help ya…" He took the bag that Vincent had been holding awkwardly in his damaged left hand. "How is yer hand?"

"It's still hurting, sometimes. And I fear…I fear the fingers are completely damaged, as is much of the palm. I can move them, but there's no strength left."

"Hm." Cid didn't say anything more about it, so Vincent shrugged.

"I should tell you hello from Mrs. Shera, by the way," he said as they went inside.

"Oh, Shera!" Cid's face lit up from whatever thought he'd been chewing on. "She's a great girl. We used ta work tagether, but then she got married and lost interest in most mechanic work. Um, let me get that…"

Cid shuffled in front of Vincent and cracked the refrigerator door open, just enough to he could peer in. He swore.

"What's wrong?" Curious, Vincent tried to peak over his shoulder, but Cid quickly closed the door and backed up against it, arms spread wide.

"Eh…maybe I should deal with this, a'right?" he stammered. "I mean, ya've been working all day and…"

"Chief, how bad can it be?" Amused, Vincent grabbed the handle and pulled, and wincing Cid moved away.

For a second Vincent just stared into the chilly depths.

"Chief…."he finally said slowly. "Why…why is there a dead cat in your refrigerator?"

"I think it used to be a piece of cheese…"

Vincent poked at something, but quickly withdrew his hand.

"And the, um, the milk…I think it just hissed at me." He picked up what had probably been a cabbage head once and turned it in his hand. "You know, I've known scientists who would have paid a lot of gils for this. It's almost sentient."

Cid groaned in utter embarrassed and Vincent couldn't help but laugh.

It rained that evening, so they stayed in, watching some old boring soap opera on the telly, just quiet and comfortable in each others presence. The couch wasn't big so they were pretty close together, but Cid didn't seem to mind and after a while Vincent could relax as well. He wondered what would happened if he fell asleep, if his head would fall down on Cid's shoulder. He didn't think the captain would pull away, and that left a giddy feeling in his stomach. Maybe he would even pull Vincent down in to his lap, running his fingers through black hair as Vincent slept….The comfort and security that the captain projected without even being aware of it made Vincent feel safe like he'd never done before.

The truth was, Vincent admitted to himself, that he'd already fallen heedlessly for the blonde man who'd saved his life.

When Vincent went to bed that night, he pulled out a bundle of cloth that he'd hidden under his pillow. It was Cid's t-shirt, and with guilty pleasure Vincent held it up to his face, inhaling deeply the scent of oil and tea and nicotine and Cid, pretending he could still feel a trace of warmth on the worn cloth. He fell asleep, holding the t-shirt in a fierce grip.


	6. Chapter 6

Title: A Dark Moon Rising part 6 of 13

Subtitle: In which Cid's hands are more clever than his brain. As usually.

Author: Enide Dear

Rating: NC-17, eventually

Pairing: Cid/Reeve, Valenwind, Cid/Reeve/Vincent

Summary: This, as far as I can get it, is what you wished for – hot and smexy Valenwind. With Reeve.

Author's note: Reeve comes along and status quo is broken.

"Hey Vince, wait up!"

Vincent turned off the pick-up's engine as Cid came running, waving something in the air that shone metallic. The sight of the grinning captain made him smile as always, but he wondered what Cid had thought of now. Even by Cid Highwind's generous standards, he looked very happy and positively beaming with pride.

"Ya goin ta Rocket Town?" He leaned in through the open window on the pick-up, the fedora pushed back into his neck so that golden unruly hair could escape it, cigarette in his mouth and as was now his habit, wearing only cut offs and the hat.

Vincent nodded, as his tongue seemed suddenly unable to form coherent words.

"I got something for ya, before ya go…" Triumphantly, Cid held up the strange thing he'd been carrying. It was a metallic arm – or an arm shaped tube, perhaps, Vincent wasn't sure – and it gleamed like fire in the light of the sun. "It's a prohectic arm," Cid explained cheerfully as Vincent examined the thing.

"Prosthetic," Vincent mumbled.

"Yeah, right, that. Ya just pull if over yer arm, just like that, and… ha! Look! It's working!"

The arm fit like a glove, a bit heavy perhaps, but that was more than made up by the sudden increase in mobility that made Vincent gasp with surprise.

"And it's strong!" Cid tossed him an apple and Vincent could only watch as with a simple squeeze he reduced the fruit to pulp. "So what do ya think? Pretty neat, huh?"

"I…I…what's with the claws?" it was all that Vincent could think of saying, stunned by the sheer genius that lay hidden beneath the captain's rough surface.

"Well," Cid scratched the stubble on his jaw. "Ya know. It's a dangerous world. I don't like ya going unprotected…and since I threw away the bullets of yer gun, I figured I'd do something else for ya. Can't get bullets like that in Rocket Town, but don't worry, once my vacation is over and we start flying again, we'll find somewhere that sells them."

We. Wewewe. The word grew out of all proportions in Vincent's head, the gift, the way Cid spoke of the future as if he wanted, and counted on, Vincent being there…Not letting himself think, Vincent leaned forward towards the smiling blonde, his heart racing, his lips quivering with wanting to touch Cid's….

At that moment, Cid's phone rang. Swearing, Cid took a step back and the moment was lost as he pulled out the phone.

"Yeah, it's Cid here…Reeve! How are ya? Fine, jest fine…" He waved at Vincent whose heart was still frantic for being so close to doing what he dreamed of, and with an inward sigh Vincent pulled out of the yard.

The pick-up died about a kilometre from Cid's house as Vincent was driving back. The battered old car had been protesting loudly when Vincent started driving it almost two weeks ago, but now it coughed, spat and sulkily died. Trying to turn the key a few times didn't avail anything and when Vincent opened the hood, all he saw were a lot of engine parts that he didn't even know the name of. With a sigh, he started walking towards the house.

Vincent had been a Turk, and his red eyes quickly picked up the traces of another set of tires going towards Cid's house on the dusty road. Probably Shera, or one of the other inhabitants of Rocket Town; they had a habit of dumping all kinds of impossible mechanic work on Cid who always seemed happy to help. Vincent still felt awkward and uncomfortable in the presence of strangers, but the villagers reminded him much of Cid; they were a cheerful and easy going bunch.

He flexed his claw, admiring the work. Thinking back on this morning he blushed, wondering what it would be like if he really had kissed Cid. It had been a long time since Vincent had been with anyone, and he didn't know if he was misreading Cid's signs because he so desperately wished for them to be there. If he did the wrong thing at the wrong time he might end up loosing…everything. Was he willing to risk that? What if Cid was interested in women?

Caught up in that and a million similar thoughts, Vincent barely spared the car parked on the driveway a glance, or he would have seen that it was quite a lot more expensive than what Rocket Towns inhabitants usually drove, and he stepped out beneath the Highwind's shadow.

Cid was standing in the sun, his naked arms around a tall, dark-haired man with a neat beard who had his arms around the captain's neck. Their eyes were closed, their bodies pressed together, the kiss long, passionate, heated.

Everything turned black in Vincent's head.

Scuffling behind a workshed, Vincent gasped for air. He felt sick; he felt stupid; he felt like he just wanted to die. How could he ever have though that someone like Cid would be single? Of course he wouldn't be! He pulled at his hair, tried to swallow the sobs that seemed to coagulate into a thick lump in his throat that threatened to choke him, his chest hurt, his demons howled in vain. Stumbling he ran back towards the car.

When he reached the car, Vincent fell down sobbing; big ugly gasps of crying that rattled him. Loneliness came rushing back to him, threatening to drown him. He was such an idiot to even have nursed these stupid fantasies; he was a freak and Cid had saved him out of pity, nothing else. The friendship the captain had shown him was more than he deserved, and he was fiercely glad he hadn't kissed the man and revealed his true emotions.

"Stupid!" He growled at himself, his claw digging gaping rivets in the dust. "I am so stupid!"

"There ya are, Vince! I was getting worried for ya!" Cid waved at him as Vincent walked slowly up towards the house. He and the strange man were sitting in the shade of the porch, drinking tea. "Hey, what happened to the car?"

"It died. I'm sorry, I couldn't get it started." Vincent had washed his face and dusted off his clothes as best as he could; he hoped there were no trace of his crying left. Most of all he'd wanted to run away, but where would he go? And anyway, the car and the things in it belonged to Cid; he had to return them.

"Well, come here and have something ta drink. Ya looked parched." Cid took him by the shoulder and sat him down. "Vince, this is a friend of mine, Reeve. Reeve, this is Vincent."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Valentine." Reeve smiled and held out his hand. He had a handsome face, an easy smile that spoke of lots of laughter and his grip was firm and warm on Vincent's cool fingers.

"Nice to meet you to, Mr.…Reeve," he mumbled, wondering how much more than his last name Cid had told this stranger.

"I'll go get the car, a'right. No, ya stay here Vince, it's too damned hot to be running around in the sun like that. I can fix it."

He grabbed his toolbox and left them alone with a wave of his hand. Vincent tried to hide his face in the teacup but Reeve soon struck up a pleasant conversation and he felt obliged to at least answer. Unlike Cid, who had admitted to being dyslectic, Reeve was an educated, cultured man and against his will Vincent found himself in an interesting discussion about art, authors and the current exhibitions in Midgard.

Try as he might, Vincent couldn't hate the man, but the sorrow and resignation in his soul made him feel tired and worn out. When Cid returned, driving the pick up that he'd somehow coaxed to life, Vincent rose, almost a bit abruptly.

"I'm sorry, but I'm feeling very…tired. And I'm sure you have a lot of catching up to do." Vincent could have torn his heart our rather than say those words, but staying would mean having to see them exchange lovers glances, hands touching, perhaps even kissing again. He couldn't bring himself to do that. "I'll go to bed. Good night."

He turned his back on them, and walked up stairs with heavy steps.

Next ch will be NC 17. Consider yourself warned!


	7. Chapter 7

Title: A Dark Moon Rising part 7 of 13

Author: Enide Dear

Rating: NC-17 FINALLY! Explicit sex

Pairing: CidxReeve, Valenwind, ReevexOMC

Summary: The Heroes Finally Get Some…well, some of them do.

Author's Note: That's very poor manners, voyeur!Vince…

He hadn't thought he'd fall asleep, but when Vincent woke with a startle it was dark outside. He'd fallen asleep on his bed, still dressed, as emotional exhaustion took a hold of him. But now something had woken him from his restless sleep; sounds coming from the living room down below.

Still groggy from sleep, he came to his feet. He realised that the sounds had been filtered into his subconscious for some time; soft laughter, murmuring voices, the clinging of glass. But something had changed. Now there were pauses, long breathless pauses only interrupted by the rumpling of cloth and the creaking of the couch as someone moved on it.

He felt almost as if he was sleepwalking, moving silently down the stair. The kitchen was empty, the sings of a dinner quickly removed still visible in the dark room. But there were lights still on in the living room, and the sounds were getting louder, even as the makers obviously tried to keep their voices down. Panting. Gasping. Moaning.

Vincent crept closer. He wasn't sure he was awake, or if this was all a dream. It didn't feel real. A splinter in his finger as he leaned on the door post forced him to accept reality. Crouching down, he peered into the room.

Reeve sat in Cid's lap, his robe on the floor, his shirt open and hanging off his elbows. He had one hand around Cid's neck, holding their heads together, the other deftly opening the captain's zipper. Cid had both arms around Reeve's strong back, his hands deep down the back of Reeve's pants, pushing him against the pilot. Light spilled over them as they moved together, forming a halo.

Vincent's heart raced and he quickly withdrew. His pulse pounded in his ears, equal amounts fear and sudden arousal. He sank down, his back against the living room wall. He had to leave, now, he was intruding and if they saw him… The refrigerator was just across the room; in its newly polished metal surface he could see the reflection of the living room couch. Of Cid and Reeve. Somehow it didn't feel as real, watching it there, as if it was a movie, or a dream. And they wouldn't be able to see him if they looked up. The noises from inside got louder, more eager.

Reeve had thrown away Cid's t-shirt and was kissing his chest; the look on Cid's face of quickly growing want made Vincent's heart beat even faster. Blood rushed through his body, pounding hard. Before he even quite realised what he'd done, he opened up his pants.

Reeve stood, dropping his pants. He was taller than Cid, leaner, narrow hips and strong thighs to go with that easy, gentle smile. Vincent found his hand working faster. Cid leaned back on the couch and arched his back as Reeve pulled of his trousers, careful around the hard shaft. Vincent's blood was pounding so hard in his head now it was hard to even hear; the sight of Cid naked and aroused and grinning made hot blood pool in his loins, mad him shift his hips.

Cid grabbed Reeve and pulled him down on the couch. From a pocket in Reeve's abandoned robe he got out a tube of lube and as Reeve bit his lip to keep quiet at Cid's administrations, Vincent shivered with lust. This was so wrong, watching them, he shouldn't be here, it was wrong and dirty and wrong and how he wished he'd had the courage to step in and join them. But he couldn't, of course. They'd be shocked, Cid would be furious. It was no way of repaying for everything the captain had done for Vincent.

But he couldn't bring himself to step away either, although that was really what he should do.

A sharp gasp interrupted his thoughts; Reeve had grabbed Cid's wide shoulders and pulled him inside him. The lustfilled gaze in Cid's brilliant eyes made Vincent almost come right there. As they started moving, he moved along, his own hand on him, but pretending, dreaming, wishing he was there instead of Reeve.

Reeve's hands were in Cid's hair, grabbing at his neck, urging him faster. Cid was heaving over him, his back getting sweaty, his grunts getting deeper. Vincent's hand worked hard, fast.

Reeve came first, and at his muffled shout Vincent gasped as well, spilling out over his own hand. Cid thrust a couple of times, buried his face against the couch and Reeve's neck as the orgasm shook him.

Vincent sat still, not even breathing, as semen cold quickly on his hand. He felt dirty, parasitic. Empty. He had intruded on something personal and fouled it by simply being there. He realised that tears ran down his cheeks. The void of loneliness inside him had never felt so wide.

*You are never alone.*

*We are always here with you. *

*Our dear host. *

*Let us loose.*

Vincent almost screamed, but caught himself at the last second, scratching for his neck. The silver necklace was still there, still intact. As if he was sticking his hand into fire, he very carefully probed his mind. The demons were still trapped. All was silent inside him again. Maybe he'd just been imagining things.

A bit unsteady, he got to his feet. Despite the warm summer night he felt very cold as he stepped up towards his little room for the last time.

Tomorrow he'd leave, and he doubted that he would ever be back.


	8. Chapter 8

Title: A Dark Moon Rising part 8 of 13

Author: Enide Dear

Rating: NC-17, eventually

Pairing: Cid/Reeve, Valenwind, Cid/Reeve/Vincent, Reeve/OMC

Summary: This, as far as I can get it, is what you wished for – hot and smexy Valenwind. With Reeve.

Author's note: Vince is miserable, Cid is guilt ridden and Reeve takes it like a man.

It was still very early in the morning when Vincent got out of bed. His mind was reeling from yesterday night, so many emotions crowding him he feared his mind would just crack. Loss. Guilt. Loneliness. Determination.

He sneaked passed Cid's room and couldn't help but throw a quick glance in the open door. The bed was rumpled as if someone had tossed and turned in it, but there were no one there. Odd, because as far as Vincent knew, Cid wasn't a morning person at all. He frowned until he realised with a stab in his heart that made his eyes tear that Cid was probably with Reeve still, sleeping in each others arms. The thought made it hard to breath and he had to stop until he'd blinked away the tears in his eyes. He realised that he'd crumpled the carefully written note he held in his hand and smoothed it out best he could. It was still readable. Reeve could probably read it to Cid. After all it was just a few, formal sentences explaining that Vincent had left so that he wouldn't interfere with Cid's life, but that he would send money to pay for everything Cid had done for him, as soon as he could.

It seemed like the only thing he could do.

Vincent was surprised to see Reeve sleeping on the livingroom couch, quite alone and snoring gently. Were where Cid? The only thing left that seemed reasonable was that the pilot was out tinkering with his plane, but this early? The sun had barely risen yet.

He found Cid in the kitchen. The captain had fallen asleep over the table, despite several teacups and overflowing ashtrays surrounding him. He couldn't have been asleep for long; the cigarette between his fingers was still lit. Vincent hesitated, but reached out to carefully remove the glowing stick before it could burn all the way into Cid's fingers.

Bleary, bloodshot, blue eyes looked up the second he touched the cig, and Cid grabbed his hand. The captain looked miserable, no, worse than that. He looked like he hadn't slept all night, like he'd done something awful. Guilt was written all over his open, honest face.

"Vince…can I talk ta ya?" Cid's voice was hoarse. Had he been crying?

Vincent nodded and stubbed out the cigarette. He let Cid lead him outside, where they wouldn't wake Reeve.

"I'll be leaving…" Vincent started but Cid grabbed his hands – even the metal one – and held them between his own, interrupting him.

"Please, Vince. I'm…I'm jest so sorry. I really didn't mean ta do this ta ya!" Yes, he had been crying, Vincent realised bewildered. What was going on?

"What do you mean, chief?" he asked confused.

"It's jest…it's jest that me and Reeve…ya know, we started working for ShinRa at the same time, and in those days it was a really bad career move to, ya know, be gay. And we both wanted ta go up, him in the organisation and me…me ta space. We had ta choose, and we both choose ta keep quiet 'bout what we were. But we both had needs, ya know? And we were good friends, and it became a way of…letting out some steam. 'Cause we knew there ain't nothing happening between us more than that, friends and sometimes fuck-friends. We still kept in contact after I left ShinRa, and he stayed on. And now I don't have ta give a fuck who knows I'm queer, but he's still in the organisation. And he's still my friend and yesterday night…yesterday night we got a bit too drunk and ya know, it was familiar and easy and…uncomplicated. But I didn't mean for it ta happen!"

Vincent felt as if he would faint. His head felt too light, there was a strange buzzing sound in his ears, his fingers seemed to tingle.

"Why not?" he heard himself ask.

Cid blushed and looked away, but turned back to meet Vincent's red eyes. A callused thumb dried away something on Vincent's cheek; Vincent hadn't realised he was crying.

"'Cause…'cause these last weeks, I've felt….I mean, I think ya feel the same way….and if I destroyed everyt'in now then I'll never forgive myself…and, and shit, I don't know the words…"

"Cid?"

"Yeah?"

"Just shut up and kiss me."

When they finally came up for air, it was because a very polite cough interrupted them. Reeve stood in the doorway and watched the couple amused.

"There are pancakes ready inside. If you keep stalling, I'll eat them all myself." He smiled.

"We're coming, Reeve." Cid grinned back at him, not letting go of Vincent who needed the support as his legs seemed too weak to support him. His heart was racing and he didn't want to let go of Cid, not now, not ever, but he supposed that they had to eat at some time. He cast a wary glance at Reeve as Cid took his hand and led him in, but the ShinRa executive didn't seem jealous or angry. Reeve gave Cid an affectionate pat on the back and winked at Vincent as he showed them into the delicious breakfast he'd made. Vincent felt a bit awkward, but Reeve didn't seem to mind as Cid sat with his arm around Vincent whiles he shuffled in pancakes and tea with the other.

"I have to go back to ShinRa today," Reeve said, chewing a piece of toast. "But if you are ever in Midgard, come and see me. Oh, and here's my new phone number, by the way."

"'Course we will," Cid agreed and took the business card, but dropped it as his phone suddenly rang. "Shit, I got ta take this. Excuse me." Reluctantly he untangled his arm from Vincent and stood up. They could hear him talking even as he closed the door. "Yeah, this is the captain of Highwind speaking…A transport from Kalm next week? Sure, jest give me the details…"

Reeve studied Vincent, who was fiddling with his pancakes.

"I am sorry about what happened last night. I didn't know how Cid felt. He didn't tell me until afterwards. Last night…"

"Won't happen again." Vincent said a bit vehemently, red eyes flaring.

"No, it won't." Reeve leaned back and held up his hands in a calming gesture. "Cid would never do that, and neither would I. But he's still my friend, and I hope you won't cause any troubles with that." Reeve pushed the business card over to Vincent who slowly picked it up. "I hope to be your friend as well."

Vincent managed a smile.

"Is ShinRa such a prejudiced company?"

"Not anymore. It used to be, but things change, and the new VD doesn't care who sleeps with whom as long as they get their job done. Some of the Turks have already come out…not that they much fooled anyone before…but it's still a matter of finding the right guy. It's not that easy."

"I know."

"Cid is a good man with a huge heart. Take care of him, Vincent, he'll need that. He tends to get himself into all kinds of trouble."

*Like getting involved with a person with four demons in their soul.* Vincent thought but nodded.

"I will. And…thank you for taking care of him so far."

Reeve laughed and Vincent felt tension fall of him.

"He does need that, you know. Has he told you about the time he agreed on taking a shipment of Chocoboes to the Golden Saucer, and they got loose?"

Vincent smiled and shook his head.

"Well, it was like this…."

"If the two of ya are done gossiping about me, maybe we can get this day started." Cid grinned and interrupted them. "And I though ya promised never ta mention that flight again, Reeve. I'm still finding damned feathers in the ventilation shaft."

"How a six foot bird got into a three foot ventilation pipe, I'll never know, but I'll tell you more some other time," Reeve blinked at Vincent and stood up. "I have to go. If I'm not back to Midgard in time, Rufus – that's the new VD – will probably feed me to that vicious dog of his. He wanted me to introduce the new head of the Turk division to the organisation. Tseng, I think his name was." Out of old habit, Reeve leaned forward to kiss Cid goodbye, but caught himself, and shook his hand instead, and then Vincent's. There was a kind of bitter-sweet smile on Reeve's face as he waved to them as he drove out the dusty road.

Vincent stood leaning on Cid as the car drove away, his face against the captain's neck where he could feel the pulse against his lips, smell the warmth of his neck. His own heart was speeding up a little, partly from excitement, partly from a touch of fear. Now they were alone, and Cid's soft caress down his back let Vincent know that what the captain wanted as well as Vincent did. The rough but gentle caress made his blood run faster. But it was a long time since he'd done this. Not since before the laboratory, the coffin and the demons.

"Yer shaking," Cid mumbled against his hair.

"I'm a bit afraid," Vincent admitted, hoping he didn't sound like a complete idiot.

"Me too."

Vincent looked up and met brilliant blue eyes.

"You are?"

"Well, it's a bit scary, isn't it? Like when yer starting a plane by the edge of a cliff, and ye don't know if yer going to fall or fly."

Vincent pressed his lips against Cid, who answered eagerly.

"Then let's find out of we can take flight together," he whispered and pulled Cid inside the house.

And a little while later, they were both soaring.

A/N: Yes, happy ending....but not yet! Will be continued!


	9. Chapter 9

Title: A Dark Moon Rising part 9 of ?

Author: Enide Dear

Rating: NC-17, eventually

Pairing: Cid/Reeve, Valenwind, Cid/Reeve/Vincent

Summary: In which Vincent's past comes back to haunt him, and Cid goes to jail…

Author's note: Where does Vincent get his bullets from anyway? Also, Cid's middle name is borrowed from Hiita, and is genius, if you know where she took it from!

"No, no." Vincent poked a metal claw through the boxes of bullets. "These will never work." He held up Cerebus to let the clerk of the weapon store see it. "You see? They need to fit here."

The clerk whistled impressed.

"I'm afraid I haven't got anything for a gun like that," she said. "I'll have to custom make them for you."

"How long will that take?" Vincent sighed.

"Two, maybe three days. And you will have to leave the gun here." The bell rang as the door opened and Vincent looked up quickly, but it wasn't Cid. The captain was probably still down on the docks, supervising the unloading of Highwind, or negotiating about what cargo to take on next. Vincent had taken the opportunity to try to find a good weapon smith and load up on ammunition, but it wasn't going very well. He wished he knew if he had three days to wait for the bullets, but cargo business, he'd soon learned, meant that sometimes you had to leave within hours. It was a strange life, flying from town to town, city to city, and Vincent who never much felt he belonged anywhere anyway, had soon learned to love it almost as much as Cid did.

"I'll have to try somewhere else, then." Vincent said, collecting Cerebus and walking towards the busy Midgard street.

"Hey, you need some bullets? I know a guy who's just got his hands on some weird ammunition that looks like they would fit that gun." It was the new customer, a man in the drab but whole clothing of a small-town villager who'd got into Midgard for a few days of fun. Vincent watched him, hesitantly. He felt that he should vaguely remember the man from somewhere, but couldn't really say where. And the man didn't seem to recognise him back, so maybe he was wrong.

"C'mon, it's just down by the docks." The man nodded.

"Alright," Vincent agreed. It was the way he'd be going anyway, so it wouldn't be much of a detour.

Vincent couldn't set his finger on why, but he had a strange knot in his belly and kept throwing glances at the man who showed him the way. He *should* recognise the man, he felt, but from where? And when? Before the demons? Perhaps, but the man didn't look very old, so it was probably from afterwards. He'd seen lots of cities and villages in the last month, so it wasn't surprising if he started to remember people. But why did it make him so nervous?

*Be careful, host.*

*We recognise the smell.*

*Danger. Danger. Danger.*

*Kill him now.*

Appalled, Vincent pushed the demons' thoughts away. This was the second time they'd risen and it still shocked him. Somehow they seemed able to get through to him if he was worried, depressed, hurt, scared. Or maybe they were the ones bringing on those emotions.

*We just want to live, same as you.*

*Shut up!* He mentally growled at them, and even as they obeyed he could feel their triumph; he'd acknowledge their existence.

"Here we are," the man said to Vincent as they got out from an alley and onto the dock; there were ten or twelve men standing around, talking. Vincent woke from his dark musings, but the demon-worry only enhanced.

"Wait, I changed my mind…" Vincent started his unreasonable fear suddenly reeling and he realised to his horror that now the demons inside him that howled at him to get away, but the man next to him had already started waving at his friends.

"Hey, George! Found someone interested in those bullets you found in Niebelheim Mansion!"

George turned around, but his friendly smile was suddenly twisted to a snarl of rage as he saw Vincent.

"You!" he growled. "I though you were dead!"

The rest of the Niebelheim villagers turned, suddenly all too familiar faces, and the man next to Vincent backed away, appalled and terrified.

"Look," Vincent raised his hand, and started to back away, "it's not…"

"Demon!"

"Murderer!"

"Monster!"

"No, you don't understand!" Vincent stammered. "I'm not like that anymore…"

The first thrown rock came from nowhere and hit him on the eyebrow; the vulnerable skin split open and blood started pouring down over Vincent's face. The second one caught his hip, the third one missed his face by a hair's breath.

"Get him!"

"Kill him, before he turns to a demon!"

*Run, you fool, run!* the demons howled. *Or let us out!*

"I'm not a demon!" Vincent turned and fled even as the men started running for him.

He ran blindly, terrified, stones raining all around him, blood obscuring his view. If the men caught him, he didn't doubt they'd kill him – or at least make him wish they had, for even if they broke all his bones and split his skull or stabbed him and shot him, he wasn't sure he'd die. But he didn't want to try that, and he didn't want to be anymore horribly mutilated than he already was. The mob seemed to collect more strays; it was growing for every time he dared a glance behind him. Idlers and no-gooders, people who loved a beating in unfair odds, or even worse, people who really thought they'd do the world a favour if they killed him.

*Here! Turn here! I can smell him!*

Vincent turned, not even questioning the mental command that seemed to come as a smell to his nose.

*Safety!*

He ran towards the faint, familiar smell, somehow knowing that all would be well if he just reached it.

*Protection!*

He was lost, if he'd started to look on the streets and find his way; he'd never been here before, but he knew he was on the right track.

*Mate.*

Instinct, his own or the demons, led him right.

"What the fucking hell?" Cid swore as Vincent, bloody and gasping for air, came running around a corner and threw himself in the captain's arms, burying his face against Cid's chest.

"Get out, we have to get out, they found me…" Vincent babbled, trying to push Cid into the airship, but there was no time.

The mob came running, and Cid recognised their leader as quickly as Vincent had. Eyes blazing with anger at the words shouted, Cid grabbed Venus Gospel, drew himself up to his not very significant height and roared:

"This dock is the Gods-damned property of the airship Highwind, and you will be so damned nice as to fuck off immediately, before I rip yer heads off and shove them where the sun don't shine!"

Most of the mob, those who weren't from Niebelheim, hesitated and stopped, but the twelve men led by George kept going.

"You! You promised to kill him!" George pointed at Cid, his face red with wrath.

"I promised I'd rid ya of the demons, and I fucking did!" Cid snarled back. "Murder wasn't part of it!"

"Why should we trust you now?"

"Because ya aren't torn limb from limb by a crazed demon, now are ya, ya fool!"

A few of the men seemed to comprehend the logic, but the others kept coming.

"Cid…Cid, lets just get out of here." Vincent begged. "It isn't worth it."

"Ain't nobody gonna drive neither one of us out of anywhere, Vince!" Cid growled back and held him tighter. "Not a damned idiot like this, and nobody else!"

"What the Hell is going on?" George watched them suspiciously, the captain with the demon-man cradled in his arms. "Are you two some fucking faggots or something?"

"Yeah, ya got a problem with that too? Ya should just write me a list and then I can use it ta wipe my ass!"

"George, the police is coming." One of the cronies said nervously. "We should get out of here."

"No! I'm not leaving the demon and this fag here without doing anything about it!"

Cid shook himself loose from Vincent's grip, pushed Venus Gospel into his hand, and stepped forward, up to the Niebelheim man. Cid Reginald Highwind was not a tall man by any standards, but right then he looked to be ten feet tall at least. George stepped back, suddenly frightened. Cid stabbed him in the chest with a finger, eyes as shiny with withheld anger as if he'd been exposed to Mako radiation.

"Yer trespassing on my property, and yer frightening my man. I should jest shove my spear up yer ass 'till it pokes out the other end, but I don't wanna have to spend all night cleaning up the mess on my airship. So I suggest ye get the Hell away from us and crawl back under whatever stinking little rock ya slithered out from. Now."

Cid had kept going, pushing George and his fellows all the way over the Highwind's dock and onto the sidewalk. With one last glare that threatened death, the captain snorted with disgust and turned around to walk back to Vincent who felt weak with blood loss and relief, leaning heavily on the spear.

"Pervy monster-fucker!" George howled after him in frustration.

Vincent could almost see how something snapped in Cid's head at the words.

"Cid, no!" But it was too late.

With a snarl, Cid spun and planted his fist right in George's face, felling the man to the ground. But that didn't stop Cid; he tore up the man by his shirt and hit him, over and over, beating him senseless, not even hearing Vincent shouting at him to stop, that it was enough.

The crowd parted as the police barged through and tore Cid away, but the pilot was in a frenzy, refusing to give up, and in the end one officer had to bring a club down on his head before he stopped struggling and fell unconscious.

"No! Wait, where are you taking him?" Vincent grabbed one of the officers as Cid was cuffed and dragged between to burly policemen towards a waiting car.

"The Midgard prison. He's under arrest for assault and resisting arrest, and with all these witnesses I don't think there will be much of a trial." The officer shook of Vincent's suddenly limp hand. "He's probably in for four years."


	10. Chapter 10

Title: A Dark Moon Rising part 10 of ?

Subtitle: Reeve to the rescue!

Author: Enide Dear

Rating: NC-17, eventually

Pairing: Valenwind, Reeve/?

Summary: When you are all alone, and it don't look good, who are you gonna call? Reeve!

Author's note: Well? Did Cid drop the soap, or what?

"Cidisinpriosnandit'sallmyfaultandwehavetogethimournownownowbeforesomethingterriblehappeneds!"

"Who is this?" Reeve held the phone a foot from his ear.

"Youhavetohelphim!"

"Vincent? Vincent, is that you? Try to breathe, I can't hear you. What's wrong?"

"It's Cid! He's been arrested!"

"What?"

"He…he hit a guy, and they took him to prison. You are ShinRa! You have to help me get him out, please!"

It took about a quarter of an hour before Reeve had managed to pry the sordid tale from a hysteric Vincent, and then he sighed, rubbing his temples.

"I can help you Vincent, but not right away. It will take some time to pull the right strings. By tomorrow I could probably arrange something, but it is one o'clock at night now..."

"You mean…he can't…Cid can't spend a night in prison!" Vincent sounded on the verge of breaking down. "Do you know what happens to men like him in prison?"

Reeve managed to turn his burst of laughter into a cough, if only because Vincent sounded so terribly vulnerable.

"Vincent, listen to me. You have watched too many stupid prison-series on telly. No one is going to corner Cid and gang-rape him in the shower if he drops the soap. Midgard Prison is a modern facility, and it's not as if he's going to be placed amongst murderers, robbers and rapists. And anyway," he added prudently, "Cid could kick the crap out of anyone trying anything funny, and you know that."

"Yes….I suppose…" Vincent didn't seem completely convinced, but he was at least not hysterical anymore.

"Listen now, this is what we will do. I will see what I can do about getting Cid out as soon as possible, but it might take a few weeks…days," he quickly changed it to as Vincent's breathing got shallow again. "And you will just take it easy. Tomorrow I'll pick you up and we'll drive over to the prison and talk to Cid. Alright? Now, just stay inside the Highwind, and don't do anything stupid. Stay inside. I'll pick you up first thing tomorrow."

Reeve ended the call and fell heavily back into the bed with a sigh. His head was buzzing with thoughts.

Long, slender, strong fingers moved up his chest and tickled him.

"Bad news, I assume?"

"A friend of mine is in prison. Do you think you can help me get him out?" Reeve battered vainly at the tickling fingers, but was overpowered as a long body rolled over his, pinning him down and nuzzling his neck to make him laugh.

"Hmm…I don't know," his lover teased. "What kind of friend? Maybe it would be better to keep him in jail? That way I won't have any competition for you."

"You have no competition, love. You know that." Reeve said and kissed him deeply.

Vincent was waiting impatiently outside Highwind as Reeve came driving up with the first morning light. Reeve raised an eyebrow at the huge pile of cartons by Vincent's feet, but didn't say a word about it as he helped Vincent to put them in the car, because Vincent didn't look like he'd slept all night, his face was bruised and cut as if he'd been beaten and he was chewing his nails so hard they bled.

Getting through security control required Vincent to leave behind his metal claw and his gun. Getting through security control with two armloads full of cigarette cartons required nonchalantly dropping ShinRa executive names. No one ever asked too many questions from ShinRa employees, that was one of the pro's of the work. The frightened glances were a definitive con.

Cid sat at a table in the visitor's room, dressed in an orange jumpsuit and smoking a depressed-looking cigarette. He looked up as Vincent and Reeve came in, blue eyes shining and not looking molested in any way at all. Vincent gave a strangled sound, dropped all his cartons and rushed into Cid's waiting arms. The cartons were quickly whiskered away by other prisoners, but that was probably all for the good, Reeve reflected fatalistically. After all, if Cid had smoked all of them, he'd probably fall down dead before Reeve could get him out.

"A little present," Reeve said, dumping his armload of cartons on the table so that he could grip Cid's hand in a warm shake.

Cid gave him a curious glance over Vincent's shoulder.

"Ah, great, 'cause I was getting really tired of selling my ass for cigarettes, ya know…Jest kidding, jest kidding," he added hastily as Vincent gasped.

"Are you…are you alright?" Vincent asked, his hands sliding all over Cid as if to make sure he hadn't lost an arm or a leg since last night.

"I'm fine, Vince, I have a headache and a bump on my head, but that's all." Cid frowned and carefully tilted Vincent's bruised face so that he could see it better. "Can't say that about ya, though. Haven't ya cleaned these? This needs some stitches!"

"Ummm…I kind of forgot." Vincent shook his head. "It's not important, Chief. What's important is getting you out of here!"

"It's damn important to me! Ya promise me ya'll see these taken care of once ya get out of here, ya hear me?"

"If you promise me you will never do anything this stupid ever again!"

"I can't promise that." Cid growled. "I ain't never gonna let anyone call ya such things, ya hear me? Yer not a monster or a demon. We're past that."

"I…" Vincent didn't know what to say; the fact that the demons had been so active in trying to warn him and then to lead him to Cid was something that still bothered him, although the worry for Cid had almost drowned it.

"If the two of you are done with your lovers' squabble," Reeve interrupted, buying Vincent some time. "Maybe we could get to the important things."

"Ah, sorry Reeve." Cid grinned at him. "So, ya come to free me?"

Reeve nodded.

"It will be two or three days, but that's all. Try not to drop the soap in the shower, and remember to always sleep with your back against the wall, and you can always bribe the prison guards with cigarettes…"

"Yer are so full of crap!" Cid laughed even as Vincent winced embarrassed. "Three days, huh? That's mighty quick, even for you. Ya got a promotion, or something?"

"I got a boyfriend," Reeve's face flushed partly from embarrassment, and partly from pride. "One with lots of contacts. He promised to help, in exchange for a possibility to try to drink the legendary captain Highwind under the table."

"I say that's an offer I can't possibly loose on."

"…on *your* expense, Cid."

"Knew there were a catch somewhere."


	11. Chapter 11

Title: A Dark Moon Rising part 11 of 13

Author: Enide Dear

Rating: NC-17, eventually

Pairing: Cid/Reeve, Valenwind, Reeve/?

Summary: Reeve's got a boyfriend and Vincent has PMS – Pre Monster Syndrome

Author's note: I saw a pic of Reeve and this person and my mind went all Awwww, that's so adorable!

Reeve's fancy car had got all dusty on the drive to Cid's house, but that didn't dampen his sunny, nervous mood as he parked the car and got out, waving a hand at Cid who sat on the porch, waiting for them.

Cid watched with eager anticipation as the passenger door opened and a tall man with sharp features and long, black hair, clad in an immaculate suit stepped out. The pilot frowned a bit.

"Tseng, I want you to meet captain Highwind, one of my best friends." Reeve seemed as giddy as a schoolboy, bringing home a date to be accepted. "Cid, this is Tseng, new boss of the Turks."

"Turks, eh? Aren't they all about kidnapping and spying and assassinations of innocent?" Cid gave the tall man the full force of cyan-blue eyes. Reeve caught his breath.

"The Space Program?" Tseng said without missing a beat or even blinking. "Aren't they all about getting drunk and wasting ShinRa money?"

Cid grinned and shook his hand; Tseng smiled and squeezed it back.

"Well, I'm glad ta see the old grudges are still passed on in ShinRa."

"Some things never change." Tseng agreed.

"Where's Vincent?" Reeve asked, looking around.

"Just taking care of some stuff…ah, here he is!" Cid put an arm around Vincent as he came around a corner. "Vince, this is Tseng of the Turks. Tseng, this is my Vincent, still the prettiest dark-haired guy around, despite the sudden increase in competition."

Vincent smiled shyly and held out his hand, but Tseng hesitated for a second, black eyes piercing red.

"Don't I know you?" He asked.

Vincent tensed immediately at the question. Tseng of the *Turks*? He'd been a Turk, once, a long time ago. It was impossible for Tseng to remember him, but maybe, maybe, if he was a prudent and careful boss, he'd gone through old records, seeing which Turks were still left in action. Vincent had never officially left the Turks, but he didn't want to go back.

And even worse, if Tseng knew who Vincent was, then he might know what he'd done, what Hojo had done to him. Cid had never asked were the demons came from, but if he found out that Vincent had volunteered for such a procedure, if he found out what sins had driven Vincent to agree on Hojo's madness…there were no telling what Cid might do.

*Kill him!*

*Kill the Turk!*

*Before he can say something!*

*Before he can hurt us!*

"I don't…I don't think so," Vincent stammered. He could feel Cid instinctively squeezing him harder as he felt Vincent's distress.

"Maybe I was wrong then," Tseng smiled, but there was a small, suspicious glance still left in his eyes.

Vincent's nervousness escalated in desperate speed, although he managed to hide it as evening turned into night. It was one of the last warm, summer nights before autumn would take the final grip on the world, and they sat out, under the stars and the lamps, eating, drinking, talking, laughing. Everything would have been perfect, if it hadn't been for the demons, howling and tearing at the silver band, trying to get loose. Trying to kill the pleasant, smiling Turk, who kept *looking* at him, kept trying to place him. Vincent's pulse was racing.

"Look," Reeve pointed to night sky.

"What? I can't see anyt'in?" Cid squinted skywards.

"Exactly. There's no moon. Where is it?"

"'Is a dark moon tonight. Ya get them sometimes, in autumn."

"Look there." Tseng pointed at a starless patch in the sky. "It's there. You can see it by what's not there, no stars, no light….just darkness."

Did he look at Vincent when he said that? Did he know? Was he trying to blackmail him into something? He was a Turk after all. You couldn't trust them. Vincent should know, he'd been one himself.

*Killkillkillkill!*

"I'm…um…excuse me." Vincent almost stumbled away from the table and Cid's arm around his waist, trying hard not to clutch at his head to keep the demons in. He needed to be alone, needed to be away from people. Before he did something he could never undo.

"What's wrong with him?" Reeve asked surprised as Vincent hurried away towards the Highwind's hangar.

"I don't know," Cid shook his head bewildered. "Never seen him act like that before."

Tseng didn't say anything, but cast a new glance at the dark moon.

In the hangar, Vincent paced. Back and forth, back and forth, holing his head in his hands – it felt like it would burst with the howling voices. They were so loud! They hadn't ever been this loud before. Whatever sane, calm thoughts he had was drowned in a cacophony of demon paranoia. And they *had* helped him before, hadn't they? Led him to Cid when he was chased, tried to help him against the mob from Niebleheim…maybe he should listen to them. Maybe he should just kill Tseng, to get rid of that threat, to keep his secrets…

"No!" He fell to the ground. "I'm not a monster! I won't…I can't…"

*Then let us do it.*

*We can do it.*

*We'll protect us.*

*We'll protect our mate.*

"I…no…Cid's in no danger…"

*It's a Turk! You can't trust Turks! You know that!*

*Cid's already in his debt for getting him out of prison.*

*…where *you* put him, host!*

*You must let us do this.*

From inside the hangar, Cid could here murmured voices, Vincent's sounding low and desperate, but others as well, snarling, growling, angry, scared. Cid frowned. Who was in there? If there was trouble, why hadn't Vincent called for help? Soundlessly he opened the door.

Vincent sat alone on the floor, his arms around him as if he tried to keep himself from breaking, rocking from side to side, his back towards Cid. There where no one else in the big hangar that Cid could see.

Worried, he walked up and put a hand on Vincent's shoulder.

"Hey, what's wrong…"

A touch, a presence, a voice – terror overwhelmed Vincent.

"Help me!" he gasped.

And the demons came.


	12. Chapter 12

Title: A Dark Moon Rising part 12 of 13

Author: Enide Dear

Summary:

It's like I'm paranoid,

looking over my back,

it's like a,

whirlwind inside of my head,

it's like I,

can't Rating: NC-17, eventually

Pairing: Cid/Reeve, Valenwind, Reeve/Tseng

stop what I'm hearing inside,

it's like the beast inside is right beneath my skin…

~Papercut, Linkin Park

Author's note: Lots of gore. Be warned, please

Acute pain in his shoulder woke Vincent to gasping consciousness, but when he tried to get up he was pushed back down on his back by a foot on his chest. Blinking to get the tears of pain from clouding his vision he looked up into Tseng's calm, collected face and the gun aimed straight between Vincent's eyes.

"Don't move. I already shot you twice and if you move you'll tear up the wounds." Without looking away, Tseng asked over his shoulder. "How is he?"

"Badly torn up." Reeve's voice was unsteady and Vincent could hear the faint humming sound of Cure materia being used. "Very badly."

"Damn it." Tseng sighed. "This is what Hojo's get will do…" His gun went off, missing Vincent's head with an inch as Vincent grabbed the Turk's leg and yanked hard. Tseng went down, still holding the gun, as Vincent rushed to his feet. His arm and shoulder throbbed enough to threaten to steal his consciousness once more, but he forced it away, running, running for the bloody, torn figure laying prone against the hangar's wall of corrugated sheet metal. Reeve was sitting over it, his hand glowing green.

"Don't shoot!" Reeve shouted at Tseng who was aiming even as he fell. "He won't hurt me!"

"I'm sure Cid would have said the same just a few minutes ago," Tseng gritted his teeth but didn't squeeze the trigger.

Vincent didn't hear them, or their voices made not comprehensible words in his head. He fell to his knees over Cid's prone body, shaking his head, not wanting to acknowledge what he saw.

Cid had passed out, which was probably a blessing; his entire chest had been ripped open from the collarbone to the groin. White bone, dark red muscles and shiny intestines could be seen poking out from the open slashes. There where something like teeth marks on his face, one of them punctuating a bright blue eye, making it as red as Vincent's. Suddenly, Vincent became aware of the metallic taste in his mouth, a taste of blood and meat, saw how red his nails and hands were and he fell backwards, got up on his knees and threw up violently.

Reeve didn't stop his grim, slow, patient work with the materia, focusing on the life threatening wounds…but there were so *many* of them. Cold and heat rushed through Vincent's body the utter, almost incomprehensible shame and pain racking him. Tseng still had the gun aimed at him; all that was needed was one hasty movement towards Reeve and the Turk would blow his head off and all would be over.

"Vince…" the word was just a wheezing sigh, but two fingers suddenly brushed Vincent's human hand. They were colder than usually, much colder. "Not yer…fault…"

"Sleep, Cid." Reeve touched the pilot's brow with yellow Sleep and he immediately relaxed again.

"Will he live?" Vincent held Cid's hands against his own chest. His eyes were still clouded with tears of pain, but not sorrow; the shock was still too great.

"I think so. I'm not a healer, but…Cid's tough. And we got here before you started…eating anything." Reeve didn't meet Vincent's eyes. "Tseng had to shoot you to get you away from Cid. You were lapping up blood."

Vincent closed his eyes, not wanting to see the images in his head but having no choice. He wanted to scream 'It wasn't me!' but knew it was pointless. He'd let the demons out, after all.

"You changed back when you got wounded. So much for demon protection."

*It was a mistake!* The demons inside Vincent suddenly wailed, horrified and frightened like little children.

*It wasn't supposed to be him, we thought it was the Turk! He scared us! We didn't realise until it was too late!*

*We tried to help him, tried to stop the blood, tried to keep the wounds clean!*

*We wouldn't hurt our mate, we…*

*YOU WILL ALL SHUT UP!* Vincent screamed at them, and to his surprise they immediately fell silent; he could feel them cower with shame and fright.

It took hours before Reeve, sagging and shaking with exhaustion, let his hand fall down from Cid's body. The Cure materia flickered and died; it had been pushed passed its limits and fell to pieces. Tseng caught Reeve as he almost keeled over, but Reeve shook himself free.

"Get Cid inside. Bandages and rest will have to do the rest of the healing."

"Will he make it?" Tseng carefully lifted the bloody, torn body.

"He should. But it will take weeks for him to recover." For the first time that night Reeve looked straight at Vincent, a hurt, tired, betrayed gaze. "And I don't dare leaving you alone with him."

Vincent hung his head and nodded.

Tseng offered to take the first watch over Cid, as Reeve was exhausted. Vincent had slapped some bandages on his shoulder and crawled into bed with Cid, careful not to press too hard against the bruised and healing body, just shyly touching the bandages and the few spots of whole skin he could find. Cid was still passed out.

"It was the moon, you know." Tseng said as he watched the couple from a chair next to the bed. "Demons are affected by such things."

"What?"

"The moon. The dark moon. I read Hojo's notes. I know who you are, Vincent Valentine, I know what you are as well. And I know what you have inside you."

*We should kill him…* the demons thought sulkily, but went very still as Vincent mentally glared at them.

"What do you know?"

"The demons…Galian Beast, Hellmasker, Death Gigas and Chaos, to name them. The silver around your neck keeps them in check, but only if you don't let them out yourself. And they can still influence your thinking, as you noticed. As you can influence theirs, because you are parts of one another now. Which makes me wonder…what you really feel about Cid."

"I love him. They love him. It was a mistake. It was supposed to be you." Vincent said before he could think.

Tseng smiled crookedly.

"Hm. That's life as a Turk for you. Never a dull moment." He looked down on the gun in his hands. "I would advise you – and your inmates – not to try, though. I don't want to kill you, but I will if I have to."

"I doubt that you can."

"Oh, but I can, Mr. Valentine. Please don't doubt it. I have read Hojo's files, after all."

Vincent fiddled with the blanket over Cid.

"This is why they want to kill you. You know too much, and you can…hurt us."

"Vincent….dear demons…by now Cid knows who you are as well. Will you kill him?"

"No. But you are not Cid, and they don't trust you. And neither do I."

"Good. You shouldn't. I'm a Turk after all." Tseng smiled, ironic. "And I don't trust *you* Mr. Valentine, or your pet demons. But unless I get a direct order to kill you, I won't. That's as much as I can promise, to you or anyone. Even to Reeve, and I love him."

Vincent watched Tseng for a while, red eyes meeting black, none looking away.

"Thank you." Vincent said finally.

Tseng cocked his head in question.

"For loving Reeve. He deserves it."

Tseng smiled.

"Go to sleep Mr. Valentine."


	13. Chapter 13

Title: A Dark Moon Rising part 13 of 13  
Subtitle: The End  
Author: Enide Dear  
Rating: NC-17, eventually  
Pairing: Valenwind, Reeve/Tseng

Summary: Cid wakes up. Lots of demons.

Author's note: This is the official end of this story line! Thank you all who read it! I will now go on to other writing projects

Cid was propped up sitting, covered in bandages from head to toe, and glared at Reeve who shocked looked down on him. Tseng said nothing, and Vincent was white-faced with fright.

"It ain't none of yer business, Reeve. Yer my friend and I owe ya my life, but it's still my life, ya hear me? I need ta do this. Vince and I need ta do this."

"And if something goes wrong? If they attack you? You are not well enough to deal with this now!"

Cid snorted and then coughed as pain from his half-mended body wracked him.

"If they could mess me up like this a week ago, then I'll never be strong enough ta deal with them, physically. So I have ta do it another way, an' I might as well do it now."

"But – "

"Reeve." Tseng put a hand on his shoulder. "Leave him be. It's his choice."

Angrily, Reeve let himself be led from the room, casting worried glances back. Tseng nodded at Cid and Vincent as he closed the door behind them.

"Take as long as you need. We'll be waiting outside." He didn't add, if the demons attack, call me and I'll come. He didn't need to.

Vincent sat down on the bed next to Cid, shaking his head.

"Reeve is right. This is a foolish idea. We shouldn't encourage them to come out."

"We're not encouraging them, Vince." Cid stroked the long black hair with his undamaged hand. "Trust me, what I'm gonna say to them ain't encouraging."

"But they might attack…"

"Not any more than ya would."

Vincent sighed. He knew Cid was right, but to deliberately relinquish control to the demons that had done this to Cid…

"Who do you want to talk to first?"

"Galian Beast. An' then work my way upwards. Now, bring 'em on."

Vincent met calm, blue smiling eyes and nodded. He closed his eyes and let his consciousness drift away, calling out the first demon.

Cid glared at the big, doglike, hairy creature that suddenly crouched by the bed where Vincent had been sitting. It had teeth as long as his hand and claws longer than his forearm, bulging muscles and burning yellow eyes. For all of that, it looked very much like a dog who had been caught wetting the carpet; it hunched, its ears lay flat around the head and it whined. Cid lit a cigarette, not caring that the demon coughed and sneezed at the smell.

"Right. Now ya listen up…."

"Vince. Vince, yer back now."

Exhausted, Vincent blinked a few times. He was back, standing staggering next to the bed. Calling out the demons had drained him – he hadn't counted on that.

"Are you alright?" Quickly, he sat down on the bed; Cid was bruised and bandaged, but no worse than before.

"I'm a'right, Vince. It all went…fine." Cid smiled crookedly, and pulled him down on the bed next to him. "Ya might wanna tell those demons to brush their teeth once in a while, though. That breath is *lethal*."

"What did you tell them? What did they say?"

"That's between them and me." Cid stroke his hair. "Ya can take of that silverband, now."

"What?" Vincent almost sat up.

"Take it of. They won't do any'ting. They'll come when ya call, but that's all." Cid's blue eyes were warm. "Trust me."

With shaking hands, Vincent opened the silvercollar he'd worn around his neck for protection so long. It clicked and fell into the bed and he shut his eyes, steeling himself for the intrusion.

Nothing happened. Very carefully, Vincent mentally prodded the demons; they were still there, but quiet and still. He could feel a respect so deep it was almost awe emanating from them towards the captain and also a strange, low-key sound. He frowned. Could demons purr?

Cid had picked up the silvercollar, and turned it over in his hands.

"I was getting fond of that," Vincent said, trying to tease.

"Yeah, well, ya can't go around wearing a collar. People will get all kinds of kinky ideas." Cid grinned. "But I'll do something else with it, if ya want me to." Suddenly it was Cid who flustered, stumbling over the words. "Like, perhaps, you know…a ring?"

"Cid, I…yes. Yes! Yes, you stupid, wonderful lummox of a man!" Vincent threw his arms around Cid, hugging him so tight he winced with pain. "Wait. This wasn't what you talked to the demons about, was it?"

"It wasn't the only thing I talked to them about, but…seeing as how ya don't have a family I could ask yer hand from…"

Vincent laughed. He couldn't remember when he'd last laughed like this, so free and happy and untroubled.

"I think you are one of a kind, Cid Reginald Highwind."

"'Course I am," Cid grinned. "And yer the only one who could ever stand living with me, Vincent Valentine."

The End!

Fic is illustrated by the amazing Animama: .com/art/Dark-Moon-pic-Valenwind-93614066


End file.
